Mention the words "paintball video games" to me and I'll more than likely groan at the thought. Mentioning the likes of Gotcha! on the old NES or perhaps the new Paintball arcade game that's invading movie theatres across the land just doesn't make me excited, as neither effort really brings you into the elusive world of competitive paintball. It's point-and-shoot and move on. Fortunately, Greg Hastings' Tournament Paintball avoids this, and presents a unique twist on the first-person genre to make it worth a look.

The game, brought to us by Activision and the development team at WXG, thrusts you right into the action with a bevy of activities to take part in. You can choose from over 30 actual paintball players (including Hastings himself), partake in 19 different tournaments in single-player mode (which can earn you new abilities and power-ups), choose from a number of locations to battle in, and even take the action against 13 other players, both with Xbox Live and with system link-ups.

What surprised me was how well paintball has been implemented into the first-person shooter format. I was expecting a below-average effort, as the idea seems less than fulfilling. But, to my surprise, it actually works pretty well. Not only are you given good controls that allow for some precise targeting and physics similar to the paintball world (for instance, shots fired at a distance actually have a bit of curve on them and don't just fly straight ahead forever), but you're also given evasion tactics that work and plenty of places to hide from incoming ammunition. I'm still not sold on the idea of being able to weasel out of some shots, like being hit and then selecting an area in an HUD set-up that allows you to call it an unfair hit, but for the most part the gameplay delivers.

The game also offers some good multiplayer offerings, allowing up to 14 players to take part in team battles, offline and online via Xbox Live. This makes for some explosive team battles that are actually rather enjoyable, particularly if your team is caught in a pinch in a Capture the Flag sort of game. The online play works rather well, although the lobby could use a few more customization options.

I found it rather annoying that, in games with more AI players, you really can't command your teammates for competitive play. They just go off and do their own thing, and you have to play catch-up. It would have been wonderful to have the ability to set up some plays and make them work.

The game also has a single player mode, where you can compete in tournament after tournament and work up your skills to become the best paintball player around. However, it seems to go by a little quicker than I'd like it to, and there's not really much difference between the players offered. There's also nothing to unlock after you beat the game, a real letdown when you consider what could have been. I would have killed for some customization options where you could build your own little paintball battlefield.

However, Tournament Paintball still manages to succeed despite its crucial flaws. The presentation works pretty well, with graphics that accurately portray the sport while not providing explosive detail like other FPS's in the field. The first-person view works wonders, especially when it comes to targeting. Sound also comes into play, as you can hear incoming fire and act upon it. The music selection isn't the greatest, but you have the option of setting up your own via the customized soundtrack option.

Greg Hastings' Tournament Paintball isn't going to tear you away from the addictive play of Halo 2 and Ghost Recon 2. Its presentation is limited, and it's lacking in a couple of other areas as well. However, it does fare better than I expected, and it's enjoyable for a little while, especially when Xbox Live comes into play, so grab yourself some friends and splatter away.